AN attempt by Scrutiny to force a standalone debate on funding plans for the Island’s new health facilities yesterday failed to get approval from States Members.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf, chair of the Hospital Review Panel, which scrutinises the progress and governance of the New Healthcare Facilities Programme, said that he was seeking to ensure that the finer details of how to fund the initial phases of the Island’s “largest ever single capital project” were not wrapped up in debates for the government’s general spending plans.
His argument rested on the principles of transparency and openness which Chief Minister Lyndon Farnham has said are central to his government.
Deputy Renouf said: “These plans are of fundamental significance for financial future of the Island. It therefore surely makes sense that they should be subject to the fullest possible scrutiny, with the Assembly given the clearest possible chance to understand and examine them.”
He added that having no individual debate on the funding plans was “perilously close to giving the government a blank cheque”.
However, his arguments failed to win over other States Members, including Health Minister Tom Binet, who said: “There will be nothing opaque whatsoever about the information presented at the Government Plan debate.”
Other ministers also expressed concerns about a standalone debate slowing the project down and leading to accusations about “further navel-gazing over the Hospital” by the public.
Deputy Renouf’s proposal contained two parts: a call for a standalone proposition on funding for phase one of the New Healthcare Facilities Programme from the Council of Ministers and the presentation by the council of the indicative costs of future phases of the project.
Ultimately, the arguments against Deputy Renouf’s proposal succeeded, with Members overwhelmingly rejecting part A of the proposition 13 votes for and 30 against, and part B of the proposition 15 for and 29 against.
